Manufacturer: Panerai Year: 2015 Reference No: PAM00579 Movement No: 012'123 Case No: BB1661981 Model Name: Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante Left-handed 8 Days Titanio Material: Titanium Calibre: Mechanical, P.2004/9, 31 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Brown Panerai leather strap Clasp/Buckle: Titanium Panerai buckle Dimensions: 47 mm. width Signed:Case, dial and movement signed, case further engraved 119/300 Accessories: With Panerai Guarantee Certificate dated 27 January 2015, Certificate confirming the present watch is numbered 119 of a limited edition of 300 pieces, instruction manual, watch tools, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Italian navy commandos were required to wear several instruments on their hand during combat, such as a wristwatch with luminous hands to keep time and plan attacks. For convenience, some commandos preferred to wear their watch on their right wrist. As a result, Panerai specially created a watch with the winding crown on the left side to address these practical needs. The present watch is numbered 119 of a limited edition of 300 pieces only.
Known for its robust designs and large case sizes, Officine Panerai was established in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai in Florence, Italy. Around 1900, Giovanni's grandson Guido Panerai took over, and Panerai became the supplier to the Regia Marina — the Royal Italian Navy. After supplying the navy with high-precision instruments for a number of years, Officine Panerai created Radiomir, a radium-based powder that gives luminosity to the dials of sighting instruments and devices. By 1936, the Royal Italian Navy approached Panerai again with the request to design a watch resistant to extreme underwater conditions. The watch they created became known as the "Radiomir".
Panerai's watches made during the early twentieth century era were comprised of cases designed and manufactured by Rolex SA, with Cortébert, a Swiss manufacturer, supplying the majority of their movements. The most recognizable designs from the firm are the Radiomir and Luminor. To date, vintage models from the first half of the 1900s, such as the reference 3646 and 6152 models, remain the most desirable among collectors.